As regular readers are aware I advocate giving short Best Man speeches rather than longer ones after all there is a definite truth in the saying, be brief, be brilliant, be seated. A short Best Man speech will ensure your speech doesn’t reach a lull at any stage and should have the listeners entertained from beginning to end.

                                                                                                                                               The opening section of a short Best Man speech.

- an icebreaker for a short Best Man speech.

- welcome guests to the wedding.

- mention what a wonderful occasion the day has been.

- praise the families of both the Bride and Groom.

                                                                                                                                               The middle section of a short Best Man speech.

- compliment the Bridesmaids.

- compliment the Bride.

- tell a short funny story about the Groom.

- then compliment him by referring to the qualities that make him a great friend..

                                                                                                                                                   The closing section of a short Best Man speech.

- tell a short story that showcases why the Bride and Groom are made for each other.

- read any faxes or emails that have arrived, include a fake funny one of your own.

- provide your own humorous advice on marriage to the newlyweds.

- finally offer an uplifting Best Man toast in honor of the Bride and Groom.

                                                                                                                                                      When it is broken down like that the Best Man speech is not as daunting as many people believe it to be so don’t let nerves get the better of you.  You should also include a short Best Man joke here and there but as ever make sure these jokes along with your funny stories are suitable for all, given that there is sure to be children at the wedding.

If your brother offers you the chance to be his Best Man then you should be delighted to accept the honor, regardless of the pressure that goes with the role in having to give a Best Man speech. It’s a big deal for your brother to ask you, he could have asked a friend rather than his brother so its kudos to you that you were his number one choice.

Many people (myself included, incidentally) asked a friend rather than a brother, and as years pass find they rarely hear from their friend while their relationship with their brother is stronger than ever so take the role seriously and be the finest Best Man that you can.

There is a certain added pressure of giving a Best Man speech when it is an occasion of a relative’s wedding primarily because all your relatives, especially your parents, will be there listening to your every word. To help you out in this regard I have included a quick guide below which will point you in the right direction to give great short Best Man speeches for a brother.

You Should.

• open your speech warmly and include a special welcome for relatives.
• make sure to praise your parents in the fantastic job they did in raising you both.
• keep jokes and stories clean and short.
• include flattering words about the Bride and her family.
• say some nice words about the Bridesmaids.
• talk about your brother as a role model.
• share a quick story about your brother’s devotion for the Bride.
• end with an uplifting Best Man toast.

You Should Not.

•  tell any stories about your brother that could embarrass your parents or the Bride.
•  make any reference to past girlfriends.
•  have too much to drink as nobody like a Best Man slurring through his speech.
•  center your speech around one gag, if it flops your whole speech flops.
•  veer off course, stay on topic so you remain control of the speech.
•  speak in a monotone manner, practice your speech for it to have best effect.
•  laugh at inappropriate moments.
•  try to be too funny, balance your speech between funny lines and sincere remarks.

While there is a degree of extra pressure involved when you are the Groom’s brother there is also that extra degree of satisfaction that can be gained when giving an awesome Best Man speech to the adulation of friends and family, get the speech right and you will find that you watch the tape of the wedding a lot more often than the Bride and groom.

Short Best Man speeches work far better than tedious long Best Man toasts for a number of reasons, we have outlined the top 5 reasons in today’s post.  It is important to remember that the wedding day is about the Bride & Groom so don’t try to overshadow them with a long speech as it will not be received well.

1) The Boredom Factor.

If you want to give a 10 minute speech then by all means do, just be sure to wake the guests up once you finished. No matter how impressive you think your speech is, it will be lost on the wedding guests if you speak for longer than 5 minutes. The deafening silence that will greet your completed speech will provide proof, should any be needed, that you chose to speak for too long.

2) Difficulties with the speech delivery.

Trying to master a stage for 5 minutes with a great Best Man speech is certainly achievable, but trying to deliver with style for much longer will present difficulties to the novice public speaker (which most Best Men are).

3) Short is sweet.

Great short Best Man speeches will leave guests with many fond memories, long Best Man speeches not only bore the wedding guests but also leave them with too much information to digest and appreciate.

4) Short Best Man speeches provide less opportunities for hecklers.

It is normal to be nervous as you deliver your Best Man speech, however nothing will rock your confidence more than getting some heckles front the guests. The longer you speak the greater the opportunity for people to shout heckles in your direction. To prepare yourself for the possibility of hecklers read this post 5 Great Responses To Hecklers.

5) You will enjoy the speech more.

With a short Best Man speech you have less material to remember so you can spend time rehearsing your speech. As you practice your speech you will find that your confidence is sky-high and instead of being worried about the speech you will end-up looking forward to it.

Another element to consider is that the Best Man will not be the only person giving a speech, the Groom and Father of the Bride usually give short speeches and other attendees who often speak include the Maid Of Honor, the Bride, and sometimes the mother of the Bride, combined that is a lot of speaking, so do your bit and keep yours short.